Precooling combination for precooling a through-lading-load in the usual side door refrigerator car



Jan. 16, 1951 F. J. REILLY 2,533,382

PRECOOLING COMBINATION FOR PRECOOLING A THROUGH-LADING-LOAD IN THE USUALSIDE DOOR REFRIGERATOR CAR Original Filed March 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheetl Jan. 16, 1951 F. J. REILLY PRECOOLING COMBINATION FOR PRECOOLING ATHROUGH-LADING-LOAD IN THE USUAL SIDE DOOR REFRIGERATOR CAR OriginalFiled March 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zzw Patented Jan. 16, 1951PRECOOLING' CC MBINATION FOR PRE COOL- IN G A THROUGH-LADING-LOAD IN THEUSUAL SIDE DOOR REFRIGERATOR CAR Frank J. Reilly, Winter Park, Fla.,assignor of one-third to Clarence J. Loftus, Chicago, Ill.

Original application March 16, 1945, Serial No.

Divided and this application March 12, 1948, Serial N0..14,584.

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to a combination for cooling athrough-lading-load of crated perishable produce efficiently, quicklyand uniformly throughout the load, while in the usual side doortransportation car;

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 583,097,filed March 16, 1945, now Patent No. 2,439,487, granted April 13, 1948.

Prior to my invention pre-cooling of such cars, loaded with perishableproduce such as fruit, was used quite extensively, The typical procedureinvolved loading of such cars at both ends with a large squeeze spacebetween. Air was introduced at one level of the car and removed at theother, continuously, in one direction- The old practices. and systems.were objectionable for various reasons. Principally, they did not permita through-lading-load, and, secondly, such loading, as was permitted,could not be uniformly precooled throu hout the load-there generallybeing a variation of 28 degrees between sect-ions of the load. However,with my invention, typical tests show that the average temperature onthe bottom: of the car is 49.2 degrees, the middle of the car 50.9degrees, and the top of the car 49.3 degrees. These are actual fruittemperatures and not air temperatures. Thus, these tests demonstratethat my present apparatus affords a uniform cooling throughout the load.

My invention affords an initial pre-cooling of the load in the car to asubstantially even predetermined temperature throughout withoutovercooling or undercooling. It also materially reduces the amount oftime required for initial pre-cooling, which is extremely important asit does not tie up the transportation car unduly, as was true with theold prior expedients.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved pre-coolingsystem wherein the effective surfaces exposed to the cooling medium areincreased by intermittently reversing, during the initial coolingperiod, the direction of the how of the cooling medium throughout theload.

More specifically, it is one of the principal objects of my invention toprovide, in combination, an alternate high and low compression airchamber projecting transverselyof and into a throughlading-load midwayof the car, opposite the side door, having communication throughout itsheight with vertical and horizontal airpassages in the crated load, witha readily reversible precooling apparatus, positioned outside of thecar, having an upper and lower two-way air ductthe latter having opencommunication and coop eration with the alternate high and low aircompression chamber in the car.

This air chamber may extend across the load transversely, or projecttransversely, into the load to aiiord good distribution of the coolingmedium and it projecting under pressure, substantially at the center ofthe load, both vertically and longitudinally; the air chamber being soarranged as to permit the cooling medium to be shot into the load,(except through its top) in practically all directions throughout itsheight.

My combination permits a continuous and through-lading-load' throughoutthe car above the air chamber and on both sides thereof. In practice,the ladin consistin of crates, boxes or other similar containers ispreferably placed in rows above and on both sides of the air chamberthroughout the car in such manner that vertical and longitudinal airspaces are present between the various rows of containers throughout thecar.

The above and other features, advantages and capabilities will becomeapparent by reference to the following description taken in connectionwith accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. I is a representation of the application of my present invention tothe usual side door refrigerator car;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2. ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3. is a detailed view of a portion of the mechanisms shown in Figs,1 and 2;

Fig; 4 is. an enlarged view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 takensubstantially on the line 44.;

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4. showing the apparatus in a differentoperating condition; and

Fig, 6 shows a slight modification of the structure which afiords, orprovides for, the transverse alternate high and low compression airchamber, preferably used in practice.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 there is shown a refrigerator carI I having therein a through-Iading-load l2 of crated perishable producewhich isto be pre-cooled prior to shipmerit, One door I 3 of therefrigerator car is opened 50 that a plurality of flexible ducts M andmay be associated therewith. The ducts I 4 and 15 are connected to anair conditioning apparatus housed in a cabinet it which may be mountedso a to be readily movable. By referring to Figs. 2 and 4 it will. beseen that the housing or cabinet 16 contains a motor ll connected by abelt I 8 to an impeller fan I9. The

fan l9, as shown in Fig. 4, supplies air to the duct l5. Interposedbetween the duct l5 and the fan I 9 are a plurality of cooling orrefrigerating pipes 2| which may have associated therewith on eitherside dehydrating apparatus 22. Similar apparatus i interposed betweenthe duct 14 and the outlet located just above the housin of the fan l9.Thus air conditioning refrigerating or cooling pipes are providedtogether with the dehydrating apparatus 24. The outer ends of the ductsl4 and i5 are connected to a false door having the lower opening 26 andan upper opening 21. The fan is is housed within a chamber 28 so thatthe fan I!) circulates and recirculates the air through the housing 28,the ducts l4 and I5, and the interior of a refrigerator car ll.

A5 will be seen from both Figs. 1 and 2, the lading preferably consistsof crates or other similar containers which are placed in rows such thatvertical and longitudinal air spaces are left between the several rowsof containers.

In order that the cooling pipes 2i and 23 may cool the air by absorbingheat therefrom, the cabinet I6 is provided with a compressor orcompressors such as the compressors 2S} and ill which may be driven froma suitable motor 32. The compressors 31 are connected to a suitablecondenser 32 mounted within a chamber 33. The condenser may constituteany suitable apparatus or configuration of pipes which is to be aircooled.

In order to facilitate the cooling of the condenser 32, the chamber 33is provided with a plurality of water cooling jets 34 which togetherwith the air passing through the chamber 33 dissipate the heat in thecondenser tubes. The chamber 33 is provided with an air inlet 35 fromwhich air passes upwardly past the spray jets 34 and through the coilsof the condenser 32 whereupon the air is forced outwardly from thechamber by a fan 35 driven by a suitable motor 37. The apparatusutilized for supplying a cooling medium to the air conditioning pipes 21and 23 may be of any suitable type.

As may be seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 3 there is mounted exteriorly of thecabinet it a crank 38 connected toa ratchet wheel 39 arranged forcooperation with a pawl 4|. The ratchet wheel 39 is keyed to a sprocketwheel 42 which engages the endless chain of belt 43 connected to drive asprocket wheel 44. The sprocket wheel 44 is connected to suitable meansfor orienting the housing 19 of the blower fan. From Fig. 2 it will beseen that while only one fan has been mentioned actually two or morefans l9 may be used, and both housings for these fans are connectedtogether so that the outlet may selectively be arranged for operationeither into the lower duct I5 or the upper duct It. In Fig. 4 the fan i9is directing the air outwardly through the duct [5 whereas in Fig. 5 thefan I9 is directing the air outwardly to the upper duct [4.

In accordance with the present invention it is intended to supply an airconditioning fluid medium such as air, gas, or the like to the lading sothat the cool air movesin one direction toward, and through, the ladingfor a predetermined time and thereafter the direction of the air isreversed to that the cool air moves in the opposite direction toward,and through, the lading.

This operation may be repeated until the load cools down evenly andrapidly throughout. To illustrate this reversal in the direction of theflow of the air conditioning medium, the manually operable crank 38 hasbeen shown for moving the outlet of the fan 19 to either of thepositions shown in Fig. 4 or Fig. 5, since other reversing means may beemployed to provide automatically operable means for producing thisreversal of the flow of air either in accordance with a predeterminedtime cycle or in response to temperature differences between the air andthe produce. Such operation may be obtained by the proper location ofthermostats positioned within the refrigerator car II.

If a reversal of the flow of the circulating air is not provided, atypical operation might be as follows. Assuming that the produce orfruit is loaded in the car at a temperature of degrees F., and airentering the car from an air conditioning unit is at 39 degrees F., atthe end of six hours operation, the cooler portion of the load may be at45 degrees F., whereas the hotter portion of the load may be as much astwenty degrees higher. If only fifteen degrees difference is foundbetween the hotter and cooler portions of the load, it will be foundthat three hours after the termination of cooling, the averagetemperature will be about 55 degrees.

In order to avoid this rise of temperature, periodic reversal of theflow of air is provided so that in the arrangement, such as shown in thedrawing, both the top and bottom of the load may be reduced uniformlythroughout to the lower temperature mentioned.

An important feature of my present combination is the provision of analternate high and low compression air chamber extending, or projectandin open communication with the lower twoway duct of the apparatusoutside the car, which air chamber is in open communication throughoutits height so as to permit shooting, or projecting, the cooling mediuminto the center of the load in all directions, except through the top ofthe chamber.

In Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 this air chamber is formed by a substantiallyimperforated member 45 supported on rows of containers at the center ofthe car opposite the side door opening and s0 arranged that crates maybe positioned continuously from end to end of the car above the top ofthe air chamber and on either side thereof. This air chamber is in opencommunication with the load at the center of the car throughout theheight of the chamber. In the modified form shown in Fig. 6, instead ofthe member 45 being supported on crates or containers, it is supportedon suitable struts 45A to afford the high and low compression airchamber 453.

Another advantage obtained from the reversal of the flow of the COOllIlgmedium through the refrigerator car is that the pattern of the airdistribution is changed so that those portions of the load which mightnot be contacted by as great an air flow in one direction will becontacted to a greater degree when the air flow is in the oppositedirection. Thus the total surface presented to the cooling air isincreased. Furthermore the rate of cooling is dependent upon thedifference of the temperature between the incoming air and the loadwhich the'incoming air strikes. By reversin the flow of the air throughthe refrigerator car H, the warmer portion of the load is periodicallysubjected to the cooler air flow.

As will be seen in the drawing, the two-way ducts are spaced apart andthe member 25 is provided with a gasket 25A, preferably made ofcompressible spunge rubber, adapted to tightly press against the cratesor boxes forming the lading when the apparatus is in normal operation.

From the foregoing it is apparent that it is possible to perform thepre-cooling work within the limitation of railroad schedules sinceproduce is loaded and sold for specific delivery dates based on suchschedules.

While for the purpose of illustrating and describing the presentinvention, a certain embodiment has been shown and a particularapplication has been described, it is to be under stood that theinvention is not to be limited thereby, since such variations andapplications are contemplated as may be commensurate with the spirit andscope of the invention set forth in the following claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a system adapted for pre-cooling a throughlading load of perishableproduce in the usual side door refrigerator car uniformly throughout theload, the combination of an alternate high and low compression airchamber of a height 6 less than the height of the load and extendingtransversely into the lading mid-way of the car below a portion of theload and opposite the side door opening in open communication throughoutits height with the lading in the car and a readily reversiblepre-cooling device positioned outside the car having upper and lowertwo-way air ducts, the latter adapted for cooperative open communicationwith the said alternate high and low compression chamber in the carsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

FRANK J. REILLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,695,78 l Sternberg Dec. 18,1928 2,050,597 Younger Aug. 11, 1936 2,27%,162 Preble Feb. 24, 19 122,293,316 Stebbins Aug. 18, 1942 2,293,350 Reilly Aug. 18, 19422,439,487 Reilly Apr. 13, 1943

